Balgarianovinite.com President Iliana Iotova believes that investment in public service media, when accompanied by strict transparency requirements, is an investment in the future of a free society. “Journalism is the most reliable and credible way for any politician’s message to reach the audience,” Iotova said at the opening of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Media Summit in Sofia on Wednesday.
The President said that her knowledge and experience as a former journalist have helped her greatly throughout her political career.
Iotova pointed out that freedom of speech, the right to reliable information, and media independence are written into numerous documents, declarations, and resolutions. “Paradoxically, the more they are discussed, the less they are respected,” she said.
“We supposedly live in a democracy, yet the attacks on its foundations are constant and take different forms. The media in particular face increasingly insistent economic, financial, and political pressure. These forms of pressure often overlap. The question arises whether the media can exist without financial support from entities whose origins are not always clear, or without a political umbrella,” the President said.
According to her, in this environment it is even more important for the community of journalists to be stronger and more visible. “This community must remind with a united voice that if free and independent journalism is under threat, citizens lose their own independence and their own freedom,” she said.
“Today the commitment of public service media to serve citizens is especially difficult,” Iotova said.
According to her, fundamental rights are being trampled, creating fertile ground for populism and manipulation. “Public service media also face unequal competition from social networks, where millions can be reached in seconds with no guarantee of accuracy,” she added. “This is precisely why the journalists’ role becomes even more important: to be guardians and masters of words,” Iotova said.
She noted that new technologies, artificial intelligence, and social networks are challenges for public service media that require vision and resources.
According to her, the EBU sets standards and thus enables journalists from different public service media to share content, knowledge, and technology, and to build trust beyond national and geographical borders.
The EBU Media Summit, April 22-23, taking place in Sofia for the first time, brings together leaders of public service media and professionals in radio, television, and digital media from all over Europe. It is a strategic high-level forum focused on the future of public service media – their sustainability, public role, digital transformation, and joint stance towards global technology platforms. President Iotova: Investment in Public Media Is Investment in Free Society’s Future 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-04-22 14:18:41 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law